Gelechiidae

35.043 Northern Moss-moth Bryotropha galbanella (Zeller, 1839)

Notable A

Similar species:

Forewing: 7 to 8mm

Habitats: Scots Pine forest, mosses, upland limestone, heather moorland.

Habits: It can be disturbed from tree trunks and overhanging heather on steep banks on warm days. It comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva feeds on mosses from an open ended silk tube in the moss, with strands of silk at the upper end stretching to surrouunding vegetation. It has been recorded as feeding on Broom Fork-moss Dicranum scoparium and on the European mainland Yellow Feather-moss Homalothecium lutescens. It pupates in a flimsy cocoon integrated into the surrounding moss.